Intergalactic Fabric: Scotland's Paisley Pattern Shoots Into Space

A swatch of cloth with a pattern already famous worldwide is being launched into space. The Paisley pattern, named after a town in Scotland, will be orbiting the plant 220 miles above Earth for the next six weeks.

The Space X Falcon 9 rockets on the CRS-9 mission with the paisley pattern inside has been launched from Cape Canaveral and is bound for the International Space Station, where it will embark on a 15 million mile intergalactic journey.

More pics of last night's Falcon 9 & Dragon launch to @Space_Station & first-stage landing → https://t.co/vn4S8bV3x3 pic.twitter.com/7lYAgFR9JZ

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) July 18, 2016​

The patch of pattern has come from a shawl held by the Paisley Museum, which is specially set aside for research purposes.

However, once the patch returns from space — it won't be experimented on — it'll be framed and put on display in the museum as part of the town's bid for the UK City of Culture 2021.

@Paisley2021 @alanbrazil
hey Al, get behind Paisleys bid for UK city of culture 2021

— Bruce Harley (@buffmaheid) July 19, 2016

Having already made the name of the town it was created in world famous, the humble Paisley pattern is set for intergalactic stardom, thanks to Andy Campbell, commercial director of the International Space Station Educational Trust (ISSET), who also lives in the town.

"I've been fortunate to be working with ISSET for a number of years now and the work they do sending school experiments into space is amazing."

Paisley Pattern conquers world…then is launched into space! https://t.co/uVSu68MeiT #PositivePaisley @Paisley2021 @acebrodie

— Paisley on the web (@paisleyorguk) July 18, 2016​

Campbell hopes that the swatch of Paisley's trip into space will help boost the town's bid for UK City of Culture 2021.

"The pattern is a global success, this way it will get to orbit the planet," Campbell said.

As for the museum which has provided the swatch to be sent into space, it's already looking forwards to its return.

Piece of Paisley Pattern blasted into space https://t.co/FrMsjo2TAH pic.twitter.com/CzM2BiYh9h

— Glasgow Scotland (@GlasgowRR) July 18, 2016

Renfrewshire's Provost Anne Hall told Sputnik: "Since the piece of Paisley Pattern went into space earlier this week we've had a lot of interest in the story — which just reflects on how much-loved the Pattern is around the world. 

"This is really helping raise awareness of the town's unique heritage around the world and we would welcome anybody who wants to know more to visit us here in Paisley."